The nine Dutch public transport operators (Arriva, Connexxion, EBS, GVB, HTM, Keolis, NS, Qbuzz and RET) and Translink are jointly introducing a new option for travelling on public transport: purchasing a Ticket by checking in and out with your Debit Card or Credit Card. dutch train service

This new service is offered in collaboration with several payment services (Maestro, Mastercard, VPAY and VISA) and will allow you to use your Debit Card or Credit Card to travel by public transport. You pay for your travel through the Bank account linked to your Debit Card or through the spending limit of your Credit Card.

Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) is looking for volunteers to take part in a trial to test new technology that allows their passengers to pay for their travels using their contactless debit card or smartphone, instead of their OV-chipkaart.

New NS OVpay trial at Dutch train stations

Anyone who makes use of public transport in the Netherlands will be familiar with the current OV-chipkaart system, which allows them to travel on all modes of transportation simply by tapping their card and checking in. Now, however, public transport operators are looking to make transportation even more convenient and accessible for travellers – and this is where the new NS trial comes in.

The rail company is looking to recruit volunteers for the trial that is set to kick off later this month. From August 29, this group will be able to check in using their debit or credit cards, or the contactless payment system on their smartphone or smartwatch. Those taking part in the trial will be able to travel across all routes offered by NS in the Netherlands.

“With this test, checking in and out for the train is just as easy and fast as a contactless payment for your groceries,” explains Ivo Steffens, director of commerce at NS. “You no longer have to go to a ticket machine to buy a ticket or load your balance, but you can check in immediately and quickly catch your train. It’s all about convenience.” 

Contactless public transport payment to launch by 2023

This trial is part of the larger plan to launch OVpay; the new system of contactless payments on Dutch public transport. OVpay was initially supposed to launch over the summer, but earlier this month it was announced that the launch was being postponed until “the end of 2022” as a result of software issues.

“We are introducing OVpay step by step. We are working hard to ensure that everyone can check in and check out anywhere with OVpay by 2023,” the company says on its website. “Only when we are sure that it works will we introduce it nationally.” 

Until the system’s official national launch, Dutch public transport operators will continue to run trials across various cities, with trials already underway in Amsterdam, Lelystad, Zwolle, and Delft.

The NS-app. Your own travel planner to any address

From your home to an appointment in the city, or from your work to your B&B address; you can plan your journey to any address using the NS app – the complete app to plan all of your journeys by train, bus, tram, and/or metro. Check the current location of your bus or train, see if an OV flight is available, receive push notifications when we change the timetable due to weather conditions or disruptions on the network, and discover even more handy extra services. NS can show you the way on public transport. If you don’t have the NS app yet, you can download it for free in the App Store or Google Play. dutch train service

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